Touch alphabet and communication system

ABSTRACT

A touch alphabet and communication system is provided. The communication system uses a predetermined set of touch gestures, such as fingertip touch patterns performable on keyless touch-sensitive surfaces, to express the user&#39;s desired communication. The touch-sensitive surface may be the touch screen display of a computer, tablet device, cell phone, or a touch-sensitive pad, for example. The finger touch patterns are based on a limited set of unique and ergonomically pleasing finger positions that may be performed in a limited area. The touch alphabet allows the user to comprehensively communicate without looking at the communication device, and with just one hand, or in another implementation, with two hands. Thus, a user can comfortably tap an entire alphabet and related functions, with one hand, without having to visualize the user interface surface or hunt for individual keys.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims the benefit of priority to U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 61/488,703 to Duffield, entitled“Touch Alphabet and Communication System,” filed May 20, 2011, andincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Personal electronic devices provide enjoyment and utility for all ages.Available interfaces between humans and devices, however, remainlimiting. Input devices and user interfaces for computers, cell phones,and other electronics remain a bottleneck with respect to speed and easeof use, and usually require a level of manual dexterity. Conventionalkeyboards, touch screens, and computer mice require at least sometraining, and remain a cumbersome link between the nimbleness of humanthought and the brute speed of an electronic processor. Speechrecognition and visual gesture recognition that generate digital inputfor devices are improvements, but humans can think and speak much fasterthan most input devices can capture, and electronic devices can processdata much faster that human input devices can send. Thus, there is a gapbetween the world of humans and the electronic devices they use.

Contrary to expectations, providing an easy user interface forelectronic communication devices has become more difficult as thedevices have become more sophisticated. Increased processing powerprovides smaller devices and increased mobility. Thus, the physicalfootprint of the human interface has merely become smaller, not alwaysbetter. The reduced size often requires even more manual dexterity andmore focus in order to generate accurate input. The miniaturized“qwerty” keyboard of a cell phone is very compact, an advantage, butrequires a great deal of focus to achieve both speed and satisfactoryaccuracy of the message being created. Typing is sometimes performedwith two thumbs. Touching icons on a display to actuate functions is animprovement over typing individual letters, but when a human-readablemessage needs to be generated, the cell phone or tablet device oftenpops up a virtual qwerty-style keyboard in miniature.

SUMMARY

A touch alphabet and communication system is provided. The communicationsystem uses a predetermined set of touch gestures, such as fingertiptouch patterns performable on keyless touch-sensitive surfaces, toexpress the user's desired communication. The touch-sensitive surfacemay be the touch screen display of a computer, tablet device, cellphone, or a touch-sensitive pad, for example. The finger touch patternsare based on a limited set of unique and ergonomically pleasing fingerpositions that may be performed in a limited area. The touch alphabetallows the user to comprehensively communicate without looking at thecommunication device, and with just one hand, or in anotherimplementation, with two hands. Thus, a user can comfortably tap anentire alphabet and related functions, with one hand, without having tovisualize the user interface surface or hunt for individual keys.

This summary section is not intended to give a full description of touchalphabets and communication systems. A detailed description with exampleimplementations follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram of example texting using a touch alphabet.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an example environment for practicing thetouch alphabet and communication system.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an example touch communication engine.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of an example scheme for utilizing sensor areas in akeyless region.

FIG. 5 is a diagram of example keyless regions implemented on populardevice display footprints.

FIGS. 6-16 are diagrams of a set of touch patterns that constitute anexample database of “one-handed” finger-touch patterns.

FIG. 17 is a diagram of example keyless region scaling.

FIGS. 18-24 are diagrams of a set of touch patterns that constitute anexample database of finger-touch patterns for the right hand.

FIG. 25 is a diagram of symmetry between left-handed and right-handedimplementations of an example system.

FIG. 26 is a diagram of example texting using a two-handedimplementation of the system.

FIG. 27 is a diagram of two-handed registration of keyless regions foruser input.

FIG. 28 is a flow diagram of an example method of using a touchalphabet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Overview

This disclosure describes a touch alphabet and communication system. Inone implementation, the communication system uses a predetermined set oftouch gestures, such as finger touch placements and finger touchcombinations, performable on various keyless touch-sensitive surfaces,to express the user's desired communication. The touch alphabet allowsthe user to comprehensively communicate without looking at thecommunication device, and with just one hand, although in oneimplementation, two hands may be used. Thus, a user can comfortably tapan entire alphabet and related functions, with one hand, without havingto visualize the user interface surface (i.e., without having to look atthe touch surface and without having to hunt for individual keys).

Keyless, as used herein, means that the surface that constitutes thetouch input or communication interface does not require visible oractual key areas, as on a keyboard, and also does not have such discretekeys assigned in 1:1 relationship with individual finger strokes orindividual touches for actuation. Conventionally, a key of a typewriteror keyboard is dedicated to a 1:1 relationship between a fingercontacting the individual key and an intended alphanumeric characterassigned to the key. Rather, a keyless region as used for sensor inputherein, senses one touch or multiple simultaneous touches (e.g.,fingertip touches) corresponding to a select and limited set ofergonomically easy gestures, and the gestures do not have to beperformed on specific, discrete keys as a keyboard would have. Theselect and limited set of ergonomically easy gestures is also designedto accommodate users with very long fingernails, a longstanding problemfor communicating on small devices. The set of ergonomically easygestures are programmable to alphabets, number, symbols, etc., and setsof navigation functions.

The touch-sensitive surface may be the touch screen display of acomputer, tablet device, cell phone, or a touch-sensitive pad, forexample. The finger touch patterns are based on approximately forty-fourunique and ergonomically pleasing finger positions that can be performedor gestured on an area or subarea of a surface (hereinafter, “region”)that is approximately four finger widths wide and approximately threefingertip heights high. The ergonomically easy and pleasing fingerpositions are based on combinations of finger positions assumed whilethe hand or wrist is at rest and as if comfortably “tapping” with one ormore fingers on a surface.

The finger touch patterns may constitute a set designed to beimplemented by only one hand at a time (right-handed and left-handedimplementations being mirror images of each other). The right-handed setdoes not need the left-handed set, and vice versa. Each set can functionindependently of the other, so that the user can communicate completelywith only one hand. On the other hand, both right-handed and left-handedversions can be used with each other at the same time. Or, the fingertouch patterns may also constitute a different set of patterns that canbe implemented by splitting the set of symbols and functions betweenright and left hands, which must be used in harmony. The finger touchpatterns can be programmed with different communication objects, e.g.,with alphanumeric characters and functions. For example, each member ofa set of touch patterns can be assigned with a letter of an alphabet, anumber, a symbol, a word, a phrase, an image, a file operation, or adevice navigation function.

In one implementation, an example system includes a database of storedtouch patterns for communicating on a keyless region of an electronicinput device, each stored touch pattern assigned an associatedcommunication object. A sensor detects an input touch pattern on thekeyless region. A differentiator then compares the sensed touch patternwith corresponding stored touch patterns in the database to recognizeone of the stored touch patterns. Then, an interpreter collects eachcommunication object associated with each recognized touch pattern.These may be passed, signaled, or transmitted to a device. Thus, theexample system typically constitutes a user interface device.

The database of stored touch patterns can include a mix of single fingertouch patterns and multiple finger touch patterns, each multiple fingertouch pattern consisting of a configuration of multiple simultaneousfinger touches on the keyless region. The database or the mix can thusbe a set of touch patterns for communicating a complete alphabet andrelated functions with only one hand at a time, e.g., on a cell phonedisplay, or can be a set of touch patterns for communicating with bothright and left hands together on a larger touch screen display or pad,or on two smaller but separate devices that are communicatively coupled.In the one-handed implementation, right-handed and left-handed versionsare each complete in themselves, and are a mirror image of each other.Each one-handed version is complete in itself, but that does notpreclude it from being used with its mirror image version at the sametime, i.e., right and left handed versions can be used together. Thereis also a two-handed version that splits the alphanumeric set betweenthe two hands, so that both hands must be used in that version.

The keyless region may use various schemes to sense a given pattern. Forexample, in one implementation a keyless region is arranged in a limitednumber of sensing areas (for example, nine or ten) to detect a range offrom approximately 26 to approximately 44 different touch patterns. Butthe sensing surface may use many other techniques for capturing acombination of simultaneous finger touches, such as stock touch sensingtechnology, imaging, photo, or optical sensing of multiple simultaneoustouch contacts, etc.

The keyless region may be dynamically sized to a width dimension thatdynamically approximates four finger widths of the user and a heightdimension that dynamically approximates three finger thicknesses of anindividual user. Since these physical dimensions of a user's fingers mayvary, an example system can scale the keyless region to correspondingdimensions.

The database of touch patterns includes at least enough touch patternsand associated communication objects to compose a set of symbols oractions, such as an alphabet of a known language and associated symbolsand functions. Thus, each communication object (e.g., alphanumericcharacter) assigned to a given individual touch pattern may be a letterof an alphabet, a number, a symbol, a word, a phrase, an image, a fileoperation, or a device navigation function. A digitizer may convert eachcommunication object retrieved by the interpreter into a digital signalfor transmission or input into a device.

Example Environment

FIG. 2 shows the example texting scheme of FIG. 1 in the context andenvironment of an example cell phone, tablet, computing device, orelectronic accessory, in which the touch alphabet can be performed.

An example device 200 shown in FIG. 1 includes or implements acomponent, such as the example touch communication engine 202 to enableinput using the touch alphabet. The touch communication engine 202 isillustrated as software, but can be implemented as hardware or as acombination of hardware and software instructions.

The example device 200 typically has a processor 204, memory 206, datastorage 208, and other associated hardware such as a network interface210 and a media drive/interface 212 for reading a removable storagemedium 214. The removable storage medium 214 may be, for example, acompact disk (CD); digital versatile disk/digital video disk (DVD);flash drive, etc.

The removable storage medium 214 may include instructions forimplementing and executing the example touch communication engine 202.At least some parts of the example touch communication engine 202 can bestored as instructions on a given instance of the removable storagemedium 214, a removable device, or in local data storage 208, to beloaded into memory 206 for execution by the processor 204.

A display and/or user interface (UI) controller 216 coordinates atouchscreen display 218 or other form of touch pad, which provides ameans for sensing finger contacts for signaling or gesturing a touchalphabet. Touchscreen display 218 and the term “touch pad” are usedinterchangeably herein, with respect to their abilities to senseindividual and touch finger contacts. The touchscreen display 218 may belocated on the example device 200 itself, of may be remote to theexample device 200. In one implementation, an example system generates akeyless region 220 on the touchscreen display 218 or touch pad forinputting touch patterns.

Although the illustrated example touch communication engine 202 isdepicted as a program loaded into and residing in memory 206, a touchcommunication engine 202 may be implemented as hardware, such as anapplication specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or as hardware runningsoftware instructions.

The touch communication engine 202 associates input from the touch pad218 with communication objects, such as characters and functions of atouch alphabet. The example device 200 may use the communication objectsfor its own touchscreen display 218 or another onboard display, or maysend the communication objects to another device, for example, via thenetwork interface 210.

The illustrated example device 200 in FIG. 1 shows components associatedwith using a touch alphabet. These components are not required to use atouch alphabet, they are shown to provide an illustrative environment.In another context, a sensing pad (i.e., computer accessory) connectedto a conventional computer via USB port, for example, can also provide acomplete context for practicing one of the touch alphabets describedherein.

Example Engine

FIG. 3 shows an example touch communication engine 202 in greater detailthan in FIG. 2. The illustrated implementation is only one exampleconfiguration for the sake of description, to introduce features andcomponents of an engine that can use the example touch alphabetsdescribed herein. Thus, the illustrated components are only examples.Different configurations or combinations of components than those shownmay be used to practice a touch alphabet. As introduced above, theexample touch communication engine 202 can be implemented in hardware,or in combinations of hardware and software. Illustrated components arecommunicatively coupled with each other for communication as needed.Arrows are shown only to suggest process flow or data flow, since thecomponents can communicate with each other as needed.

The illustrated touch communication engine 202 includes components forsensing and inputting finger contact information, for identifying fingertouch patterns, and for associating the identified patterns withassigned communication objects, among others. A list of components inthe illustrated example engine includes an initiator 302, a sensoryinput manager 304, a registration engine 306, a sensor size manager 308,a region scaler 310, a pattern identifier 312, a differentiator 314, afinger-touch patterns database 316, an interpreter 318, an objectassociator 320, a communication object database 322, an object setdefiner 324, a logic assist module 326, a digitizer 328, and acommunication object transmitter 330.

Operation of the example flow visualization engine 104 will be describedbelow.

Operation of the Example Engine

Example systems, such as a system that uses the example touchcommunication engine 202 just described, implement a touch alphabet or aset of approximately forty-four unique and ergonomically pleasingfingertip contact gestures, touch codes, or “touch patterns.” The set ofapproximately forty-four touch patterns (per hand) are based on aconcept that there are approximately forty-four ways that the fourfingers of one hand can comfortably and ergonomically tap, alone or incombination, various touches on a region under the fingers, withoutappreciably moving the wrist or contorting fingers.

FIG. 4 shows one example scheme for sensing a set of touch patterns. Akeyless region 220 is divided into approximately nine to ten sensorareas, as shown. These sensor areas are not visible to the user, but maybe made visible for practice, e.g., on a practice pad. The illustratedsensor areas are not keys in a conventional sense, as many of the touchpatterns sense a single individual finger on two sensor areas and aspart of a large pattern of finger touch contacts with the keyless region220. Right and left-hand versions of a keyless region 220 are shown.Only one of these versions is needed for a one-handed system, while bothmay be used with each other for a two-handed system. Either aright-handed or left-handed version of the example scheme can beimplemented on many types of communication devices, as shown in FIG. 5.However, many other schemes could be used to capture the touch patternsof a touch alphabet besides the scheme shown in FIG. 4.

FIGS. 6-16 depict a set of approximately forty-four touch patterns thatconstitute an example “one-handed” finger-touch patterns database 316(i.e., for the left hand) that can be used by the example touchcommunication engine 202. The scheme of dividing the keyless region intonine or ten sensor areas is also shown for reference. The forty-fourtouch patterns can then receive assignment of a selected alphabet,symbol set, and/or function set. Table (1), below, shows fingertiptouches for each of the touch patterns in FIGS. 6-16 with reference tothe example scheme of dividing the keyless region into sensor areas. The“/” mark in Table (1) indicates touching two sensor areas at the sametime, e.g., “7/4” indicates touching pad 7 and pad 4 with the samefingertip at the same time, or alternatively, indicates touching in thearea between two sensor areas in the example scheme for dividing thekeyless region:

TABLE (1) Sensor Areas Contacted by a Pattern No. Fingertip 101  1 102 4 103  5 104 4/2 105 5/3 106 1 + 4/2 107 1 + 5/3 108 1 + 4 109 1 + 5110 7/4 + 5/3 111 4/2 + 3 112 1 + 7/4 113 1 + 8/5 114 7/4 + 5 115 1 +7/4 + 8/5 116 1 + 7/4 + 5 117 6/1 118 8/5 119 7/4 120 7/4 + 8/5 1218/5 + 9 122 6/1 + 7/4 123 6/1 + 8/5 124 1 + 9/10 125 1 + 7/4 + 9/10 1264 + 8/5 + 9/10 127 1 + 8/5 + 10 128 1 + 5 + 10 129 1 + 7/4 + 9 130 6/1 +8/5 + 10 131 8/5 + 10 132 2 + 3 + 10 133 4/2 + 5 + 10 134 7/4 + 5 + 10135 8/5 + 9/10 136 4/2 + 10 137 4 + 5 + 10 138 10 139 1 + 10 140 5 + 10141 3 + 10 142 4 + 5 + 10 143 7 + 8 + 10 144 7 + 8 + 9

Table (2) shows an example assignment of alphanumeric characters andfunctions to the touch patterns:

TABLE (2) Letter or Function Veroplay Touch Code No. A 101 B 102 C 103 D104 E 105 F 106 G 107 H 108 I 109 J 110 K 111 L 112 M 113 N 114 O 115 P116 Q 117 R 118 S 119 T 120 U 121 V 122 W 123 X 124 Y 125 Z 126 Space138 Return 139 Period 140 Comma 141 Question Mark 140 twice Exclamation141 twice Capitalize Next Letter 142 Caps On 142 twice (again = off)Enter Numbers Function 143 (again = off) Choose Function 1-10 144

Table (3) shows another example assignment of alphanumeric charactersand functions to the touch patterns:

TABLE (3) Veorplay Modern Phoe- Touch Code Roman nician Arabic GreekCyrillic Etc. 101 A aleph A ALPHA A 102 B beth B BETA B 103 C gimmel TGAMMA V 104 D daleth TH DELTA G 105 E he J EPSILON D 106 F waw H ZETA E107 G zayin KH ETA YO 108 H heth D THETA ZH 109 I teth DH IOTA Z 110 Jyodh R KAPPA I 111 K kaph Z LAMBDA Y 112 L lamedh S MU K 113 M mem SH NUL 114 N nun S XI M 115 O samekh D OMICRON N 116 P ‘ayin T PI O 117 Q peTH RHO P 118 R tsade SIGMA R 119 S qoph GH TAU S ETC 144

As shown in FIG. 17, the limited, keyless region 220 for multi-fingercontact is scalable, and typically scaled to dimensions that can fit ona given cell phone or other small device. Thus, a user can comfortablytap an entire alphabet and related functions, with one hand, withouthaving to visualize the user interface surface (i.e., without having tolook at the touch surface and without having to hunt for individual keysas with conventional keypads and keyboards).

In one implementation, the region scaler 310 of the example touchcommunication engine 202 can scale two keyless regions, one for eachhand, on a touch screen display of one device, or even across multipledevices, when the devices are in communication.

FIGS. 18-24 show another set of touch patterns that constitute anexample finger-touch patterns database 316, for the right hand, that canbe used by the example touch communication engine 202. As shown in FIG.25, the set of touch patterns for the right hand shown in FIG. 18-24 issymmetrical to the set of touch patterns for the left hand shown inFIGS. 6-16. The scheme of dividing the keyless region into nine or tensensor areas is also shown side-by-side for reference. This illustratedset of touch patterns (for the right hand, shown in FIGS. 18-24) hasexample alphanumeric characters and functions assigned to eachindividual touch pattern, as shown. The illustrated alphanumericcharacters and functions are shown as a sample of programming the touchpatterns 316.

The one-handed implementation can be performed on the relatively smallwindow of most touch screen cell phones, and in addition, anywhere onlarger screens, such as a portion of a tablet computer display.

An example two-handed system divides the target alphabet and functionsbetween left and right hands.

Table (4), for example, shows an example assignment of touch patterns toalphanumeric characters and functions, divided between left and righthands:

TABLE (4) Letter or Function Hand Touch Pattern No. A right 101 B left102 C left 103 D left 104 E right 105 F left 106 G right 107 H left 108I right 109 J left 110 K left 111 L left 112 M left 113 N left 114 Oright 115 P left 116 Q left 117 R left 118 S right 119 T right 120 Uright 121 V left 122 W left 123 X left 124 Y right 125 Z left 126 Spaceeither hand 138 Return either hand 139 Period right 140 Comma right 141Question Mark left 140 Exclamation left 141 Capitalize Next Letter left142 Caps On right 142 Enter Numbers Function right 143 (again = off)Choose Function 1-10 right 144

FIG. 26 shows an example texting of the example word “car,” using animplementation of the two-handed system described above. Four fingers ofeach hand register a keyless region for input for each hand. The lefthand enters “C”, the right hand enters “A”, and the left hand enters“R”, and so forth.

Returning to FIG. 3, which shows the example touch communication engine202, the initiator 302, in conjunction with the sensory input manager304, senses the presence of four adjacent fingertips contacting thesurface of a touch screen display 218 or touch pad, and initiatesfurther action by the example touch communication engine 202. Theinitiator 302 may signal the host device to switch data input of a userinterface to the example touch communication engine 202. Once control ofuser input is handed over to the example touch communication engine 202,the registration engine 306 generates a keyless region on the touchscreen display 218. The region scaler 310 generates a keyless region 220with size dimensions appropriate for the size of the user's fingertips,and the sensor size manager 308 scales sensor schemes, if any, to thedimensions of the keyless region. FIG. 27 shows the registration engine306 generating respective keyless regions 220 for a two-handedimplementation of the system.

In one implementation, an example system defines the dimensions of awindow, pane, or keyless region where the user will perform thecommunication gestures, based on the user casually placing four fingerof one hand abreast on any part of the touch-sensitive display surface(e.g., outstretched fingers of either hand). For two-handedcommunication, the user can create two sensory input areas by placingfour fingers of each hand to initiate keyless regions for input on oneor more touch-sensitive display surfaces.

In one implementation, an initial four finger contact constitutes aregistration that informs the example system that 1) the user wishes tocommunicate via the example touch alphabet; 2) “where” the user will betouch-communicating; and 3) whether the user will be communicating withthe right, left, or both hands.

After the initial registration, the user can perform a series of theaforementioned finger touch patterns that represent the assignedletters, numbers, and/or desired functions in a selected alphanumericscheme and function set.

The pattern identifier 312 includes a differentiator 314 that matchesthe sensory input (fingertips placements sensed) with the database offinger-touch patterns 316. The pattern identifier 312 may contain logicto interpret variations in fingertip placement and allow adjustment ofthe sense tolerances. For example, in one implementation, the patternidentifier 312 is configured to interpolate and identify each touch codeor gesture by its:

1) relative position to the initial four finger registration;

2) relative position of the fingers used in each touch;

3) relative position of the current touch to the last touch; and ifneeded:

4) the relative position of the current touch to the NEXT touch; andalso:

5) these four combined with higher spelling and grammar logic, automaticspell correction, etc.

When a touch pattern is identified, then the interpreter 318 includes anobject associator 320 to match the sensed touch pattern with an assignedsymbol or function from the communication objects database 322 (e.g., aletter of the alphabet or navigation function). This assignment of acommunication object may be guided by a logic assist module 326 thatapplies known spell-check and grammar rules to discern what the operatormeant to type or text.

An object definer 324 allows a user or manufacturer to preprogram thecommunication objects to be associated with touch patterns, for example,letters of an alphabet, numbers, symbols, words, phrases, images, fileoperations, or device navigation functions may all be associated with atouch pattern.

A digitizer 328 may be used to convert the communication object to adata signal representing user input appropriate for the particulardevice. Likewise, a communication objects transmitter 330 may send thecommunication objects to a particular device, especially when theexample touch communication engine 202 is used in a device that ismainly or exclusively a user input device (e.g., standalone touch pad).

Example Methods

FIG. 28 is an example method 2800 of utilizing a touch alphabet. In theflow diagram, the operations are summarized in individual blocks. Theexample method 2800 may be performed by hardware or combinations ofhardware and software, for example, by the example touch communicationengine 202.

At block 2802, a database of fingertip touch patterns is received forcommunicating on a keyless region of an electronic input device. Eachfingertip touch pattern is assigned an associated communication object.

At block 2804, individual and multiple simultaneous fingertip touchpatterns are detected on the keyless region.

At block 2806, the detected fingertip touch patterns are compared withthe fingertip touch patterns in the database to identify the detectedtouch pattern.

At block 2808, a communication object associated with the identifiedfingertip touch pattern is retrieved.

CONCLUSION

Although exemplary systems and methods have been described in languagespecific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to beunderstood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is notnecessarily limited to the specific features or acts described. Rather,the specific features and acts are disclosed as exemplary forms ofimplementing the claimed systems, methods, and structures.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A system, comprising: a processor; a memoryin communication with the processor; a flat sensor surface incommunication with the processor; communication logic executable by theprocessor to implement touch communication, including: dynamicallygenerating an alphabet keying region anywhere on the flat sensor surfacewhere three or four simultaneous finger touches are sensed, the alphabetkeying region displaying no visible keys; dynamically sizing and movingthe alphabet keying region on the flat sensor surface in relation to anarea on the flat sensor surface occupied by the three or foursimultaneous finger touches; sensing single finger taps and multitouchfinger tap patterns resulting from ergonomic finger gestures in sensingareas of the alphabet keying region, the alphabet keying region arrangedinto a grid of areas consisting of four columns designated as first,second, third, and fourth columns, and three rows designated as a toprow, a middle row, and a bottom row, the three rows separated from eachother along arcuate dividing lines; designating ten sensing areas in thealphabet keying region as follows: a first column bottom row areacombined with a first column middle row area designated as sensing area1, a second column bottom row area designated as sensing area 2, a thirdcolumn bottom row area designated as sensing area 3, a second columnmiddle row area designated as sensing area 4, a third column middle rowarea designated as sensing area 5, a first column top row areadesignated as sensing area 6, a second column top row area designated assensing area 7, a third column top row area designated as sensing area8, a fourth column top row area designated as sensing area 9, and afourth column bottom row area combined with a fourth column middle rowarea designated as sensing area 10; designating the single finger tapsand multitouch finger tap patterns as characters of an alphabet asfollows: an activation of only the sensing area 1 designating the letterA or a; an activation of only the sensing area 4 designating the letterB or b; an activation of only the sensing area 5 designating the letterC or c; a simultaneous activation of the sensing areas 2 and 4designating the letter D or d; a simultaneous activation of the sensingareas 3 and 5 designating the letter E or e; a simultaneous activationof the sensing areas 1, 2, and 4 designating the letter F or f; asimultaneous activation of the sensing areas 1, 3, and 5 designating theletter G or g; a simultaneous activation of the sensing areas 1 and 4designating the letter H or h; a simultaneous activation of the sensingareas 1 and 5 designating the letter I or i; a simultaneous activationof the sensing areas 3, 4, 5, and 7 designating the letter J or j; asimultaneous activation of the sensing areas 2, 3, and 4 designating theletter K or k; a simultaneous activation of the sensing areas 1, 4, and7 designating the letter L or l; a simultaneous activation of thesensing areas 1, 5 and 8 designating the letter M or m; a simultaneousactivation of the sensing areas 4, 5, and 7 designating the letter N orn; a simultaneous activation of the sensing areas 1, 4, 5, 7, and 8designating the letter O or o; a simultaneous activation of the sensingareas 1, 4, 5, and 7 designating the letter P or p; a simultaneousactivation of the sensing areas 1 and 6 designating the letter Q or q; asimultaneous activation of the sensing areas 5 and 8 designating theletter R or r; a simultaneous activation of the sensing areas 4 and 7designating the letter S or s; a simultaneous activation of the sensingareas 4, 5, 7 and 8 designating the letter T or t; a simultaneousactivation of the sensing areas 5, 8, and 9 designating the letter U oru; a simultaneous activation of the sensing areas 1, 4, 6, and 7designating the letter V or v; a simultaneous activation of the sensingareas 1, 5, 6 and 8 designating the letter W or w; a simultaneousactivation of the sensing areas 1, 9, and 10 designating the letter X orx; a simultaneous activation of the sensing areas 1, 4, 7, 9, and 10designating the letter Y or y; and a simultaneous activation of thesensing areas 4, 5, 8, 9, and 10 designating the letter Z or z; adatabase of the single finger taps and multitouch finger tap patterns; adifferentiator for comparing each sensed tap pattern with the singlefinger taps and multitouch finger tap patterns stored in the database;and an interpreter for assigning a digital signal representing one ofthe characters of the alphabet to a matching tap pattern in thedatabase.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the database of stored tappatterns for communicating characters of the alphabet includes a mix ofsingle finger taps and multiple finger tap patterns, each multiplefinger tap pattern consisting of a configuration of multiplesimultaneous finger taps on the alphabet keying region; and wherein themix comprises one of a set of tap patterns for communicating with onlyone hand or a set of tap patterns for communicating with right and lefthands.
 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the set of tap patterns forcommunicating with only one hand comprises independent right-handed andleft-handed versions that may be used independently or with each other.4. The system of claim 1, wherein the rows of the sensing areasseparated from each other along arcuate dividing lines enable a limitedset of ergonomic and natural finger positions and accommodate users withlong fingernails.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the alphabet keyingregion is dynamically sized to a width dimension that dynamicallyapproximates four finger widths of the user and a height dimension thatdynamically approximates three finger thicknesses of an individual user.6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a region scaler, to sense asize of at least a finger touch dimension or a finger dimension of auser and to scale the size of the alphabet keying region and a size ofthe sensing areas to a subsequent size that is based on the finger touchdimension or the finger dimension.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein thealphabet keying region comprises one of at least part of a touch screendisplay of a cell phone, at least part of a touch screen display of acomputing device, or at least part of a touch pad.
 8. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the database comprises at least enough tap patterns andassociated communication objects to compose an alphabet and punctuationof a known language.
 9. The system of claim 1, further comprising atouch pattern representing a number, a symbol, a word, a phrase, animage, a file operation, or a device navigation function.
 10. The systemof claim 1, wherein the flat sensor surface comprises a touch interfaceof a touch screen display.
 11. The system of claim 1, further comprisinga digitizer to generate the digital signal for transmission or inputinto a device.
 12. A method, comprising: detecting individual fingertaps and simultaneous finger taps resulting from ergonomic fingergestures on a sensor surface of an electronic input device; dynamicallygenerating an alphabet keying region anywhere on the sensor surfacewhere three or four simultaneous finger touches are sensed, the alphabetkeying region displaying no visible keys; dynamically sizing and movingthe alphabet keying region on the sensor surface in relation to an areaon the sensor surface occupied by the three or four simultaneous fingertouches; sensing the individual finger taps and the simultaneous fingertaps in ten sensing areas of the alphabet keying region; matchingconfigurations of the individual finger taps and the simultaneous fingertaps with corresponding tap patterns in a database of finger tappatterns for communicating an alphabet on the alphabet keying region,each finger tap pattern assigned an associated communication objectrepresenting a character of the alphabet in the database; retrievingeach communication object associated with each detected finger tappattern from the database; and transmitting each communication object toa device.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the database of finger tappatterns includes a mix of single finger tap patterns and multiplefinger tap patterns, each multiple finger tap pattern consisting of aconfiguration of multiple simultaneous finger taps on the alphabetkeying region; and wherein the mix comprises one of a set of tappatterns for communicating with one hand or a set of tap patterns forcommunicating with right and left hands.
 14. The method of claim 13,wherein the alphabet keying region is dynamically sized to a widthdimension that approximates four finger widths of the user and a heightdimension that approximates three finger thicknesses of a given user.15. The method of claim 12, further comprising sensing a size of atleast a finger touch dimension associated with a user and dynamicallyscaling the size of the keyless region to a subsequent size based on thesensed finger touch dimension.
 16. The method of claim 12, furthercomprising a tap pattern representing one of a number, a symbol, a word,a phrase, an image, a file operation, or a device navigation function.17. The method of claim 12, further comprising: sensing single fingertaps and multitouch finger tap patterns in sensing areas of the alphabetkeying region, the alphabet keying region arranged into a grid of areasconsisting of four columns designated as first, second, third, andfourth columns, and three rows designated as a top row, a middle row,and a bottom row, the three rows separated from each other along arcuatedividing lines; designating ten sensing areas in the alphabet keyingregion as follows: a first column bottom row area combined with a firstcolumn middle row area designated as sensing area 1, a second columnbottom row area designated as sensing area 2, a third column bottom rowarea designated as sensing area 3, a second column middle row areadesignated as sensing area 4, a third column middle row area designatedas sensing area 5, a first column top row area designated as sensingarea 6, a second column top row area designated as sensing area 7, athird column top row area designated as sensing area 8, a fourth columntop row area designated as sensing area 9, and a fourth column bottomrow area combined with a fourth column middle row area designated assensing area 10; designating the single finger taps and multitouchfinger tap patterns as characters of an alphabet as follows: anactivation of only the sensing area 1 designating the letter A or a; anactivation of only the sensing area 4 designating the letter B or b; anactivation of only the sensing area 5 designating the letter C or c; asimultaneous activation of the sensing areas 2 and 4 designating theletter D or d; a simultaneous activation of the sensing areas 3 and 5designating the letter E or e; a simultaneous activation of the sensingareas 1, 2, and 4 designating the letter F or f; a simultaneousactivation of the sensing areas 1, 3, and 5 designating the letter G org; a simultaneous activation of the sensing areas 1 and 4 designatingthe letter H or h; a simultaneous activation of the sensing areas 1 and5 designating the letter I or i; a simultaneous activation of thesensing areas 3, 4, 5, and 7 designating the letter J or j; asimultaneous activation of the sensing areas 2, 3, and 4 designating theletter K or k; a simultaneous activation of the sensing areas 1, 4, and7 designating the letter L or l; a simultaneous activation of thesensing areas 1, 5 and 8 designating the letter M or m; a simultaneousactivation of the sensing areas 4, 5, and 7 designating the letter N orn; a simultaneous activation of the sensing areas 1, 4, 5, 7, and 8designating the letter O or o; a simultaneous activation of the sensingareas 1, 4, 5, and 7 designating the letter P or p; a simultaneousactivation of the sensing areas 1 and 6 designating the letter Q or q; asimultaneous activation of the sensing areas 5 and 8 designating theletter R or r; a simultaneous activation of the sensing areas 4 and 7designating the letter S or s; a simultaneous activation of the sensingareas 4, 5, 7 and 8 designating the letter T or t; a simultaneousactivation of the sensing areas 5, 8, and 9 designating the letter U oru; a simultaneous activation of the sensing areas 1, 4, 6, and 7designating the letter V or v; a simultaneous activation of the sensingareas 1, 5, 6 and 8 designating the letter W or w; a simultaneousactivation of the sensing areas 1, 9, and 10 designating the letter X orx; a simultaneous activation of the sensing areas 1, 4, 7, 9, and 10designating the letter Y or y; and a simultaneous activation of thesensing areas 4, 5, 8, 9, and 10 designating the letter Z or z.
 18. Amachine-readable data storage medium tangibly containing storedinstructions, which when executed by a processor, perform a method,including: detecting individual finger taps and simultaneous finger tapsresulting from a set of ergonomic finger gestures on a sensor surface ofan electronic input device; dynamically generating an alphabet keyingregion anywhere on the sensor surface where three or four simultaneousfinger touches are sensed; dynamically sizing and moving the alphabetkeying region on the sensor surface in relation to an area on the sensorsurface occupied by the three or four simultaneous finger touches;sensing the individual finger taps and the simultaneous finger taps inten sensing areas of the alphabet keying region; matching the detectedindividual finger taps and the simultaneous finger taps withcorresponding finger tap patterns in a database of finger tap patternsfor communicating an alphabet on the keyless region, each finger tappattern assigned an associated communication object representing acharacter of the alphabet in the database; retrieving each communicationobject associated with each detected finger tap pattern from thedatabase; and transmitting each communication object to a device. 19.The machine-readable data storage medium of claim 18, wherein the storedtap patterns include a mix of single finger taps and multiple finger tappatterns, each multiple finger tap pattern consisting of a configurationof multiple simultaneous finger taps on the alphabet keying region. 20.The machine-readable data storage medium of claim 18, further comprisinginstructions for sensing a size of at least a finger touch dimensionassociated with a user and scaling a size of the keyless region to asubsequent size based on the sensed finger touch dimension.
 21. Themachine-readable data storage medium of claim 18, further comprisinginstructions for: sensing single finger taps and multitouch finger tappatterns in sensing areas of the alphabet keying region, the alphabetkeying region arranged into a grid of areas consisting of four columnsdesignated as first, second, third, and fourth columns, and three rowsdesignated as a top row, a middle row, and a bottom row, the three rowsseparated from each other along arcuate dividing lines; designating tensensing areas in the alphabet keying region as follows: a first columnbottom row area combined with a first column middle row area designatedas sensing area 1, a second column bottom row area designated as sensingarea 2, a third column bottom row area designated as sensing area 3, asecond column middle row area designated as sensing area 4, a thirdcolumn middle row area designated as sensing area 5, a first column toprow area designated as sensing area 6, a second column top row areadesignated as sensing area 7, a third column top row area designated assensing area 8, a fourth column top row area designated as sensing area9, and a fourth column bottom row area combined with a fourth columnmiddle row area designated as sensing area 10; designating the singlefinger taps and multitouch finger tap patterns as characters of analphabet as follows: an activation of only the sensing area 1designating the letter A or a; an activation of only the sensing area 4designating the letter B or b; an activation of only the sensing area 5designating the letter C or c; a simultaneous activation of the sensingareas 2 and 4 designating the letter D or d; a simultaneous activationof the sensing areas 3 and 5 designating the letter E or e; asimultaneous activation of the sensing areas 1, 2, and 4 designating theletter F or f; a simultaneous activation of the sensing areas 1, 3, and5 designating the letter G or g; a simultaneous activation of thesensing areas 1 and 4 designating the letter H or h; a simultaneousactivation of the sensing areas 1 and 5 designating the letter I or i; asimultaneous activation of the sensing areas 3, 4, 5, and 7 designatingthe letter J or j; a simultaneous activation of the sensing areas 2, 3,and 4 designating the letter K or k; a simultaneous activation of thesensing areas 1, 4, and 7 designating the letter L or l; a simultaneousactivation of the sensing areas 1, 5 and 8 designating the letter M orm; a simultaneous activation of the sensing areas 4, 5, and 7designating the letter N or n; a simultaneous activation of the sensingareas 1, 4, 5, 7, and 8 designating the letter O or o; a simultaneousactivation of the sensing areas 1, 4, 5, and 7 designating the letter Por p; a simultaneous activation of the sensing areas 1 and 6 designatingthe letter Q or q; a simultaneous activation of the sensing areas 5 and8 designating the letter R or r; a simultaneous activation of thesensing areas 4 and 7 designating the letter S or s; a simultaneousactivation of the sensing areas 4, 5, 7 and 8 designating the letter Tor t; a simultaneous activation of the sensing areas 5, 8, and 9designating the letter U or u; a simultaneous activation of the sensingareas 1, 4, 6, and 7 designating the letter V or v; a simultaneousactivation of the sensing areas 1, 5, 6 and 8 designating the letter Wor w; a simultaneous activation of the sensing areas 1, 9, and 10designating the letter X or x; a simultaneous activation of the sensingareas 1, 4, 7, 9, and 10 designating the letter Y or y; and asimultaneous activation of the sensing areas 4, 5, 8, 9, and 10designating the letter Z or z.